Slowly but Surely: Russia’s Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia
... actor in the Asia-Pacific, but rather a trade partner trying to keep neutrality. Russia avoids making antagonizing rhetoric — an example is the South China Sea issue, where Russia has been deftly silent due to that its two most important partners in Asia-Pacific, China, and Vietnam, are involved. Another pathway to Russia’s potential success in the Southeast Asia area is constituted by a wise approach toward existing institutional opportunities offered by ASEAN. This association has become one of the most successful examples of inclusive development. ASEAN, as an international organization, provides various perspectives for foreign policy, e.g., creating a permanent Russia-ASEAN format promoting mutual ...